Genesis 30:13 NIV

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Genesis 30:1-13

We have here the bad consequences of that strange marriage which Jacob made with the two sisters. Here is, I. An unhappy disagreement between him and Rachel (Gen. 30:1, 2), occasioned, not so much by her own barrenness as by her sister's fruitfulness. Rebekah, the only wife of Isaac, was long childless, and yet we find no uneasiness between her and Isaac; but here, because Leah bears children, Rachel cannot live peaceably with Jacob. 1. Rachel frets. She envied her sister, Gen. 30:1. Envy is... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Genesis 30:13

And Leah said ,.... Upon the birth of the second son by her maid: happy am I ; or, "in my happiness"; or, "for my happiness" F3 באשרי "in felicitate mea", Montanus; "ob beatitatem meam", Drusius; "hoc pro beatitudine men", V. L. "pro beatitudine mihi est", Schmidt. ; that is, this child is an addition to my happiness, and will serve to increase it: for the daughters will call me blessed; the women of the place where she lived would speak of her as a happy person, that had so many... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Genesis 30:13

And Leah said, Happy am I - באשרי beoshri , in my happiness, therefore she called his name אשר asher , that is, blessedness or happiness. read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Genesis 30:1-13

Rachel and Leah, or unholy rivalry. I. RACHEL 'S ENVY OF LEAH . 1. The insufficient cause . "She saw that she bare Jacob no children," while Leah had begun to have a family. Though commonly regarded by Hebrew wives as a peculiarly severe affliction, childlessness was not without its compensations, which Rachel should have reckoned. Then the motherhood of Leah was the good fortune of a sister, in which Rachel should have lovingly rejoiced; and both the barrenness and the... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Genesis 30:12-13

And Zilpah, Leah's maid, bare Jacob a second son. And Leah said, Happy am I, —literally, in my happiness, so am I ('Speaker's Commentary'); or , for or to my happiness (Keil, Kalisch )— for the daughters will call me blessed (or, happy): and she called his name Asher — i . e . Happy. read more

Albert Barnes

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible - Genesis 30:1-43

- Jacob’s Family and Wealth6. דן dān, Dan, “judge, lord.”8. נפתלי naptālı̂y, Naphtali, “wrestling.”11. גד gād, Gad, “overcoming, victory.” בגד bāgād, “in victory or” =גד בא bā' gād, “victory cometh.” גוּד gûd, “press down.” גדוּד gedûd, “troop.”13. אשׁר 'ǎashēr, Asher, “prosperity, happiness.”18. ישׂשכר yı̂śāskār, Jissakar, “reward.” The second Hebrew letter (ש s) seems to have been merely a full mode of writing the word, instead of the abbreviated form ישׂכר yı̂śākār.20.... read more

Donald C. Fleming

Bridgeway Bible Commentary - Genesis 30:1-24

Children born in Haran (29:31-30:24)Jacob’s coolness to Leah created unhappiness in his household. Leah’s desire for Jacob’s love is seen in the names she gave her first four sons (31-35). Rachel, feeling ashamed that she had not yet produced a child herself, gave her slave-girl to Jacob so that the slave-girl might produce a son whom Rachel could adopt as her own. The result was two sons (30:1-8; cf. 16:1-4). Leah, believing she was not able to have any more children, did the same, and soon... read more

E.W. Bullinger

E.W. Bullinger's Companion Bible Notes - Genesis 30:13

Happy. Hebrew. be'ashri (happy). will call, &c. Hebrew. 'ishshruni (sure to call me). Asher. Hebrew. Asher (happy). Compare Deuteronomy 33:24 . Figure of speech Paronomasia. read more

James Burton Coffman

Coffman Commentaries on the Bible - Genesis 30:1-42

The last paragraph of the preceding chapter and most of this one relate the birth of the Twelve Patriarchs. The last section of this chapter (Genesis 30:24-43) relates Jacob's preparations to leave Laban and return to Canaan. As the birth of the antediluvian patriarchs was discussed earlier and presented by means of a chart, the Twelve Patriarchs of Israel will now be presented in much the same manner. It is not necessary to read over and over again that Jacob went in unto her ... and she... read more

Thomas Constable

Expository Notes of Dr. Thomas Constable - Genesis 30:9-13

Zilpah, Leah’s maid, bore Jacob two sons: Gad and Asher."The terms wife and concubine are used more loosely in the patriarchal period. Three women in the patriarchal period are called both wife and concubine: Hagar (Genesis 16:3; Genesis 25:6 indirectly), Keturah (Genesis 25:1; cf. Genesis 25:6; 1 Chronicles 1:32), and Bilhah (Genesis 30:4; Genesis 35:22). Each of these concubines is an auxiliary wife to the patriarch, not a slave, but subordinate to the wife who is her mistress. After the... read more